The Rainbow Pride Foundation (RFP) launched the 2018 Vodafone Fiji Hi­biscus Festival Safe Campaign to encourage and empower young people, in­cluding the LGBTQI+ community, to pro­tect themselves from HIV, sexually trans­mitted infections (STIs), and unwanted pregnancies.

Current statistics reveal that teenage preg­nancy and STIs are two major issues, among others, affecting young people in Fiji today.

The foundation has a booth at the festival and has a team of 14 peer educators who are raising awareness on sexual and reproduc­tive health and wellbeing among young peo­ple at the Valelevu Grounds through:

Foundation executive director Isikeli Vu­lavou said the 2018 Safe Hibiscus Festival Campaign aimed to reduce the rising preva­lence of STIs and teen pregnancy among the young people in Fiji

“The target beneficiaries of this campaign are young people from the ages of 16-39 years of age with a particular focus on young key affected populations, including gay men, bisexual men and other men who have sex with men, transgender people and sex work­ers, youth in and out of schools and youths from rural/urban areas,” Mr Vulavou said.

The 2018 Safe Hibiscus Festival is support­ed by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services.

Mr Vulavou said: The Safe Hibiscus Festival campaign would help improve knowledge, awareness and a greater under­standing among young people of the risk associated with sexually transmitted infec­tions (STIs), HIV and teenage pregnancy and also create an understanding on the as­sociated contributing factors and root caus­es of STIs and teenage pregnancy such as drugs, substance abuse and mental health issues.”

Source: Rainbow Pride Foundation